CROMWELL, Conn. – Jason Day’s third round departure time was delayed at the Travelers Championship after he requested a coronavirus test on Saturday morning.
Day, who started the day nine shots behind leader Phil Mickelson, was supposed to play alongside Rafa Cabrera Bello and Roger Sloan at 8:09 am ET. Instead, Day’s departure time was delayed until 9:15 am as a precaution and to give him more time to get the test results. He started on the tenth tee and played alone.
After Day began its round, the PGA Tour said in a statement that it had tested negative for COVID-19.
Had his test been positive, in accordance with PGA Tour procedures, he would have been removed from the golf course halfway and placed in isolation.
Day scored a 69 on Saturday and is 13 shots behind leader Brendon Todd entering the final round.
The PGA Tour has had seven coronavirus-related recalls this week. Players Cameron Champ and Denny McCarthy tested positive. Bud Cauley, who played with McCarthy during Thursday’s first round, chose to withdraw before Friday’s second round as a precaution, despite negative evidence.
The Brooks Koepka and Graeme McDowell caddies tested positive, leading to the withdrawal of each player. Chase Koepka, Brooks’ brother who earned a spot on the field through a qualifier on Monday, also withdrew from the event for precautionary reasons because he was very close to his brother’s caddy, Ricky Elliott. Webb Simpson also retired before the event began after discovering that a family member had tested positive for the virus.
The tour said in its statement that all follow-up evidence of potential contact with McCarthy was negative.
On Wednesday, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced stricter protocols for the safety of everyone involved, and also to allow golf to continue forward, without interruption. It announced additional tests and expanded the reach of those to be evaluated, including player instructors. He promised “serious repercussions” to anyone who did not follow the protocols.
“It is pretty clear that this virus is not going anywhere,” Monahan said.
“But everyone knows and needs to know that our future, our ability to maintain this business and impact the communities where we play and to create so many jobs depends on our ability to follow those protocols. So when we have instances where someone does not It doesn’t have to be treated. And as I said, the consequences will be significant. “
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